The
spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu lineage
of Buddhism is the Karmapa. All great Kagyu
teachers regard His Holiness Karmapa as the
embodiment of Buddha activity and source of
all the blessings of the lineage. As the embodiment
of Buddha activity the Karmapas were prophesied
by Buddha Shakyamuni in the Samadhirajasutra
and by the eighth-century Indian mahasiddha
Padmasambhava.
The line of the Karmapas is said to be self-announced,
because each incarnation leaves a letter predicting
his next rebirth. |
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To date there have been a succession
of seventeen incarnations, from the first
Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa in the twelfth century
up until the present Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley
Dorje.
Each one of these incarnations has embodied
and guided the Karma Kagyu transmission of
the message of Buddha Shakaymuni, manifesting
and demonstrating different activities in
order to benefit beings according to the different
times and situations in which they lived.
They have enabled the practice lineage to
continue in spite of numerous worldly obstacles
and have displayed through each incarnation
faultless renunciation, compassion and profound
wisdom.
The 1st Karmapa, was a great meditator, who
opened the door of the dharma, establishing
great monastic seats such as Tshurpu, Karma
Gon, and Gampo Nayang, and founded the Karma
Kamtsang lineage.
The 2nd Karmapa, Karma Pakshi was a great
siddha who was very powerful and displayed
many miracles in order to benefit beings.
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| The 3rd Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje,
whilst not displaying the great powers and
miracles of his predecessor was nonetheless
a great siddha and scholar in his own right.
He had great compassion and composed many
great treatises explaining the meaning of
both sutras and tantras, which were and are
of great benefit to beings. Due to his great
compassion when the 3rd Karmapa passed away
on the fourteenth day of the sixth lunar month
in China, on the following day, which was
a full moon day, he appeared within the full
moon. |
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This was seen clearly
by everyone in both Tibet and China, and inspired
the tradition called “Karku Dashalma”
in which the Karmapa’s face is painted
in the moon.
Other incarnations have ranged from leading
lives with great worldly power in order to
spiritually ripen beings, such as the 4th
and 5th Karmapas, to leading simple lives
dedicated to meditation and uninvolved in
worldly life such as the 8th Karmapa.
The great terton Chogyur Lingpa, predicted
that one day the 16th or 17th Karmapa would
cross the ocean in order to spread Buddhism
to the West. This has been realised through
the activity of the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung
Rigpe Dorje, who is best known for having
brought the dharma out of Tibet into the West.
During the communist invasion in 1959, the
16th Karmapa left Tibet with portable spiritual
treasures and relics and 150 tulkus, monks
and lay people. He settled in Rumtek, Sikkim,
India, where by 1966 the new Rumtek monastery
had been completed with the relics installed.
This was to be the hub from which Kagyu dharma
would spread throughout the world. |
| In 1974, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje set out on
his first world tour with a second in 1977.
As did previous Karmapas, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
performed startling miracles. Numerous times
he left footprints in rocks and once tied
sword blades in knots. He passed away in 1981
in the USA. After his death, his body remained
upright in meditation posture for three days,
and the area over his heart was warm. During
his cremation, his heart fell from the blazing
body and is now a venerated relic, stored
in a stupa at Rumtek monastery. Bones that
remained after the cremation of Rangjung Rigpe
Dorje formed Buddhas and many relics. |
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In the tradition
of the Karmapas His Holiness Rangjung Rigpe
Dorje, predicted his own successor by writing
a sacred letter disclosing his incarnation
and specifying the time and circumstances
of his birth, the names of his parents and
the location where he could be found. He also
said during his life that the 17th incarnation
will be much greater than his 16th and he
will have a much bigger work to do in his
life. After the cremation ceremonies of the
16th Karmapa it was discovered that he had
left two footprints in the ashes and they
faced north to Tibet. The 17th Karmapa was
born on June 26, 1985, the wood ox year in
the Lhathok region of Tibet, as described
in the prediction letter.
His Holiness 17th Karmapa was enthroned at
Tsurphu Monastery, the main seat of all the
Gyalwa Karmapas on 27th September 1992. In
accordance with the prophesy of Guru Rinpoche,
found in the treasure of Chogyur Dechen Lingpa,
the name, “Pal Khyabdak Rangjung Gyalway
Nyugu Drondul Trinley Dorje Tsal Chokle Nampar
Gyalway De,” was offered to the Karmapa.
Since his arrival at Tsurphu in 1992, he has
inspired and led much of the physical rebuilding
of Tsurphu Monastery and renewed dharma activity
that continues what has historically taken
place there over the past 800 years. His early
education began under the direction of His
Eminence Tai Situ Rinpoche; His Eminence Goshir
Gyaltsab Rinpoche; and the abbot of Tsurphu,
the late Drupon Dechen Rinpoche. |
| His dharma studies
included philosophy, debating, ritual practices,
and sacred dance. In addition he would receive
visitors and bless the many thousands of pilgrims
who would trek from around the world and Tibet
to see him. As he grew older, he began to
offer more empowerments and play the primary
role in various rituals at the monastery such
as the annual Mahakala dances leading up to
Losar, the Tibetan New Year. |
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| Beginning in 1994, His Holiness
began to fulfil his legacy of predicting and
recognizing the rebirth of incarnate lamas,
or tulkus. The first recognition letter he
wrote was for the Pawo Rinpoche. Then in 1996,
His Holiness wrote his next letter of prophecy
for the rebirth of Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche.
Again, the details in the letter and sketches
he drew provided all the clues which led to
the discovery. |
| On December 28th 1999 as the world prepared
to usher in a new millennium the fourteen-year-old
Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorje, along with a
handful of attendants left Tolung Tsurphu
Monastery in Tibet. Then on January 5, 2000
he arrived safely in Dharamsala, India where
he was warmly greeted by His Holiness the
14th Dalai Lama. |
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